With the cancellation of the customary Easter Monday boat race at Road Bay, Sandy Round, the St. Mary’s Anglican Church Fair took prominence in Anguilla on March 28. Like the A-class race at Festival Del Mar at Island Harbour, over the Easter weekend, the Easter Monday boat race had to be cancelled due to prevailing high winds.
The St. Mary’s Fair, on the grounds of the Scouts and Guides Ruthwill Auditorium, attracted a considerably large number of fun-lovers from throughout the island. The event had three highlights. One was the culinary feast; the second, a cricket match between junior and senior teams from the Anglican and Methodist Churches; and a colourful hat parade by a group of young girls – urged on by their parents and the organisers.
The culinary aspect of the fair, mainly featuring soups, fried Johnny cakes and barbecued chicken legs, was heavily patronised – keeping both servers and money collectors busy around the clock. The sale of food has always been a big fund-raiser at such events of the Anglican Church – helping to reserve funds to meet sundry expenses later on.
The cricket match has in recent years been extended to the Ebenezer Methodist Church where there are a number of experienced cricketers, but over that period all the matches have been practically won by the Anglican teams comprising younger and faster-running players. The match is usually highly competitive but bascially friendly. This Easter Monday, the match opened with a number of junior players and the match was won by the Anglican team. The match for senior players went very well at first, but ended prematurely due to poor light and rain.
One of the Umpires was former England and Australia County Cricketer, Anguillian Cardigan Connor, who, now back home, served as Cricket Development Officer in Anguilla for a number of years. Normally, the now Elected Representative for West End/Long Bay and Parliamentary Secretary for Sports and Tourism, would have been at the boat race – had it not been cancelled. In more recent years he has also established a name for himself in national boat racing as a promoter, organiser and fund-raiser.
As in former years, the St. Mary’s Easter Monday Fair was a delightful time for all and a well-spent holiday.
